Lyle DeValk

1936 - 2016

DeValk, Lyle

Lyle Sylvester DeValk , age 80, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 30, 2016 in his home surrounded by family members who loved him deeply.

Lyle was born on June 17, 1936 in Combined Locks, WI, the son of John and Mary (Kamps) DeValk. Lyle married Julia Vanden Hogen on November 24, 1956 at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church in Little Chute.

Lyle is survived by his five children: Randy (Cybele Bjorklund) DeValk, Bethesda, MD; Steve DeValk, New York, NY; Tim DeValk (Lisa Nietzer), Appleton, WI; Brian DeValk (June), Appleton, WI; and Katie Goggins (Rob Goggins), Chanhassen, MN and his seven grandchildren: Willem and Nicolaas DeValk, Kyle DeValk, Ryan and Maria DeValk, and Sydney and Jack Goggins. He is also survived by his brothers Don (Corrita) and Tom (Mary Ellen) DeValk, his sister Mary Pat and her husband Tom Roovers, and his sister-in-law Carol (Leroy) DeValk. He is preceded in death by his wife Julia, his mother and father, his brothers Jack, Bob, and Leroy DeValk and his sisters-in-law Barb and Helen DeValk.

Lyle lived a full and rich life. Like so many in his generation, he served in the U.S. Army, including a deployment to South Korea. He then returned to the Fox River Valley to work and start a family. He had many jobs in the early part of his life - paper mill worker, masonry worker, baker (Van Thull's Bakery), small business owner (Lyle - Mostly Julie's - Beer Depot) - before he decided to apply at the U.S. Postal Service. Once hired, he found his professional calling. Lyle rose through the ranks from postal carrier to postal supervisor to postmaster at the Menasha Post Office. In addition, throughout his life, he was known to many for his meticulous work painting, staining and varnishing various homes around the Valley. It quickly became clear to all who worked with Lyle or watched him work that, in his eyes, any job worth doing was worth doing well.

His exacting standards at work were but one of the many lessons he imparted to his children and grandchildren. He also instilled in them his love of family and books. The lessons started with the way he and his own family stayed in touch and enjoyed each other's company throughout their many years together and continued when he took every opportunity he could to show each grandchild how much he loved them. Every grandchild has many favorite stories or moments with their grandfather "Papa Lyle" and each are better people because of the time they spent with him.

And no one we knew read more books in recent years. He had a particular fondness for books on American history, but would read pretty much anything someone sent him. But sending him a book was the beginning of the process not the end. Inevitably, the next time the book donor's path crossed with Lyle he was ready and eager to discuss what he had just read and to compare it to something he had read previously. And if you got Lyle started on sports or politics, you better set aside some time on your schedule. He could speak knowledgeably about any team or political candidate and had some strong feelings about both that he was happy to share with you.

As the time of his death was approaching, St. Paul wrote, "My death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. " In Lyle's last few weeks, these words very much capture how he felt about his life. For two decades, cancer was his near constant companion. A fear he carried and a battle he waged gracefully and without complaint, always choosing to sum up his situation for inquiring doctors, family and friends with three simple words - "could be worse". Those who knew him best - brothers, sister, sister- in-law, children, and grandchildren - can all attest to the fact that Lyle fought the good fight, he finished the race, and he kept the faith. And in a variant of his words, we all hope to see him around like an orange. When we do, we are pretty certain he will be driving his car of choice - a shiny new Cadillac.

The family would like to acknowledge the love, care, and support provided to Lyle over the course of his life by so many family members and friends. He and his children were blessed to have an amazing wife and mother, who selflessly put their cares and concerns ahead of her own. Lyle also was the fortunate recipient of the love and friendship given him to him by his five brothers and a sister - all of whom were both family members and friends throughout their time together.

Lyle also received amazing care from Dr. Bryan Avery and all the staff at St. Elizabeth's Oncology Department. Even when the news was not so great as was frequently the case, they all made Lyle's life a little brighter during the course of his many visits, to the point where he felt like they were his friends not just his health care providers. Lyle got so comfortable with the people in the Oncology Department that during one of his visits there when asked by a doctor whether he had any questions about the latest cancer diagnosis, he said with a bit of a twinkle in his eye, "I have had cancer five times. Do you have any questions for me?" And finally, we would like to thank the entire staff at Affinity Visiting Nurses, who provided responsive and compassionate care to the end and made it possible for him to get his last wish - to be in his own home with his family in his final days.

It was Lyle's request to have both a private service for immediate family members at Highland Memorial Park, Appleton, WI and to provide an opportunity for family members and friends to get together at Kamps Bar and Grill, Combined Locks, WI at 4:00 p.m. Monday, December 5. In lieu of any flowers, for those seeking to honor Lyle's life, please feel free to make a contribution in his name to Affinity Visiting Nurses located at 816 Winneconne Avenue, Neenah Wisconsin 54956.